System and method for providing games based on locations on an identified commuting route

ABSTRACT

There is disclosed a system and method for providing location-based entertainment. In one embodiment, a device capable of providing location-based entertainment comprises a navigational interface module configured to receive navigational data, an entertainment selection module configured to utilize the navigational data to generate location-based entertainment content for a user, and a presentation module configured to present the location-based content to the user. The system may also include a position finding module and a routing module. In one embodiment, a method for providing location-based entertainment comprises identifying a present location of a mobile user, identifying a destination of the mobile user, determining a travel route of the mobile user based on the present location and the destination of the mobile user, providing navigational data according to the travel route, generating a location-based entertainment content for a user utilizing the navigational data, and presenting the location-based content to the user.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to mobile communications. Moreparticularly, the present invention relates to mobile entertainment.

2. Background Art

Mobile navigational devices, such as handheld global positioning system(GPS) receivers and vehicle navigation systems, for example, have madelocation finding and reliable route planning easier to perform than everbefore. Moreover, location finding capabilities are increasingly findingtheir way onto common mobile devices, such as mobile telephones andpersonal digital assistants (PDAs), making those navigational featureswidely available to consumers. Whether, for instance, seeking toidentify a present location, or selecting a route to a desireddestination, users of mobile devices having navigational functionalitymay now utilize those advantages to make getting around easier, lessstressful, and even safer than in the past.

Although capable of providing substantially continuous monitoring oflocation or route progression, navigational devices are typicallyutilized primarily for travel planning, and then almost only when thereis uncertainty as to a location or route. For example, during anautomobile trip in which the driver of a car equipped with a navigationsystem transports several passengers to a familiar destination, thenavigation system may not be utilized at all. Even when the destinationis unfamiliar, the navigation system may be used by the driver, but isunlikely to be utilized by the vehicle passengers.

Travel can be tedious, however, and the need to provide travelers withdiversion and entertainment during a trip has long been recognized. Thismay be particularly true for lengthy road trips, or for travel involvingdelays due to traffic congestion, for example. In the past, the tediumof travel has been alleviated through various means. First radio, thenmedia devices such as cassette, 8-track, and CD players, followed morerecently by satellite radio, have all been implemented to alleviate thestresses and frustrations of vehicular travel.

The tedium of travel can exact an especially high toll on the patienceand enthusiasm of children, who may be traveling along a route overwhich they have no control, to a destination with which they areunfamiliar. The frustrations and unhappiness suffered by children duringtravel are readily transferred to their parents, who may have selected aparticular route or destination, during a family vacation for example,expressly to provide their children with an enjoyable and intellectuallybroadening experience. In an effort to provide children passengers witha more engaging form of entertainment and diversion than the simpleaudio stimulation provided by radio and the other forms of entertainmentdescribed previously, many vehicles are now also equipped with DVDplayers to provide additional visual entertainment.

Unfortunately, the forms of entertainment traditionally provided torelieve the unpleasant aspects of travel may be seen to emphasizedistraction from that unpleasantness, rather than diversion throughengagement in the positive aspects of a particular trip. While thisapproach may be largely unobjectionable for certain types of travel, aroutine commute for example, it may do a disservice when a route, adestination, or points of interest along the way provide some of themotivation for the trip itself. For the family vacation road tripmentioned earlier, for example, entertainment providing diversion fromthe mundane aspects of the trip, that at the same time immerses thetravelers in the intellectually broadening details of locations alongthe travel route, would be desirable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A system and method for providing location-based entertainment,substantially as shown in and/or described in connection with at leastone of the figures, as set forth more completely in the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The features and advantages of the present invention will become morereadily apparent to those of ordinarily skill in the art after reviewingthe following detailed description and accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an exemplary system for providinglocation-based entertainment, in accordance with one embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 shows a flowchart describing the steps, according to oneembodiment of the present invention, by which location-basedentertainment can be provided;

FIG. 3 shows a diagram for one exemplary route during which the systemof FIG. 1 can be utilized to provide location-based entertainment,according to one embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 shows a diagram for another exemplary route during which thesystem of FIG. 1 can be utilized to provide location-basedentertainment, according to one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present application is directed to a system and method for providinglocation-based entertainment. The following description containsspecific information pertaining to the implementation of the presentinvention. One skilled in the art will recognize that the presentinvention may be implemented in a manner different from thatspecifically discussed in the present application. Moreover, some of thespecific details of the invention are not discussed in order not toobscure the invention. The specific details not described in the presentapplication are within the knowledge of a person of ordinary skill inthe art. The drawings in the present application and their accompanyingdetailed description are directed to merely exemplary embodiments of theinvention. To maintain brevity, other embodiments of the invention,which use the principles of the present invention, are not specificallydescribed in the present application and are not specificallyillustrated by the present drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an exemplary system for providinglocation-based entertainment, in accordance with one embodiment of thepresent invention. System 100, in FIG. 1, includes navigational unit102, such as might be utilized by automobile 126 equipped with a vehiclenavigation system, and entertainment unit 110 capable of providinglocation-based entertainment. Entertainment unit 110 comprisescontroller 132, user interface 134, display 136, and memory 138, inaddition to navigational interface module 112, entertainment selectionmodule 114, and presentation module 116. Entertainment unit 110 receivesnavigational data from navigational unit 102 through communication link122. Navigational unit 102 includes position finding module 104 androuting module 106. Navigational data is received as input tonavigational interface module 112, and entertainment selection module114 utilizes that data as part of location-based entertainment forpresentation by presentation module 116. Properly configured,entertainment unit 110 may be any mobile electronic device suitable foruse in presenting audio, video, or graphical media, including a mobiletelephone, personal digital assistant (PDA), digital media player,portable computer, or portable gaining console, for example.

As shown in FIG. 1, entertainment unit 110 and navigational unit 102 areseparate components connected via communication link 122, which may be awired or wireless connection. In one embodiment, however, entertainmentunit 110 additionally comprises position finding module 104, which mayinclude a global positioning system (GPS) receiver, for example. Inanother embodiment, entertainment unit 110 can comprise routing module106. In yet another embodiment, entertainment unit 110 is an entirelyintegrated system supporting navigational functionality as well as beingcapable of providing location-based entertainment. In such embodiment,entertainment unit 110 may comprise both position finding module 104 androuting module 106, in addition to navigational interface module 112,entertainment selection module 114, and presentation module 116, forexample.

Routing module 106 can comprise a map database for instance, which, inconjunction with positional data provided by a position finding device,such as position finding module 104, can provide route guidance from apresent location to a desired destination. For example, navigationalunit 102 comprising position finding module 104 and routing module 106can correspond to elements of a vehicle navigation system, as shown inFIG. 1.

According to one embodiment, entertainment unit 110 receivesnavigational data from navigational unit 102, via communication link122. The navigational data is received as input by navigationalinterface module 112, and may comprise a present location, routinginformation, or both, for example. Navigational interface module 112 isconfigured to accept navigational data as input and make the informationcontent of that data available to entertainment selection module 114.

In one embodiment, entertainment selection module 114 may utilize thenavigational data to generate location-based entertainment contentaccording to one or more locations of a user of entertainment unit 110,such as using the navigational data as selection criteria in selectingentertainment content specific one or more locations of a user ofentertainment unit 110. The term “location,” as it is used in thepresent application, refers to a unique spatial position and maycorrespond to a present position, past position, future position, orvirtual position of a user of entertainment unit 110. For example, apresent location of a user of entertainment unit 110 corresponds to apresent spatial position of entertainment unit 110, and may bedetermined in conjunction with position finding module 104, which maycomprise, for instance, a GPS receiver. As a further example, a pastlocation of a user of entertainment unit 110 may correspond to aprevious position on a travel route determined by routing module 106.Similarly, a future location may correspond to a projected position on atravel route, such as a designated destination, for example. Moreover, avirtual location may correspond to a position on a hypothetical travelroute, or to a hypothetical destination, designated, for instance,during travel planning.

Characterization of the entertainment selected by entertainmentselection module 114 as being location-based, signifies that thelocation, and/or points of interest in its proximity, determine thesubject matter or context of the selected entertainment. For example, atravel route beginning in San Diego, Calif., and having Los Angeles,Calif., as its destination, may pass through Anaheim, Calif. Designationof Anaheim, Calif. as a selection criteria location, which couldconstitute a present location, past location, or future location,depending upon the progression of travel, might result in selection ofentertainment devoted to Anaheim point of interest Disneyland, forexample, or use Disney characters to convey an instructional message. Inone embodiment, entertainment selection module 114 may include anentertainment database (not shown) from which appropriate location-basedentertainment can be selected. In other embodiments, entertainment unit110 may comprise a mobile communication device, in which caselocation-based entertainment may be selectively downloaded from anentertainment content server, or comprise streaming media, for example.

The location-based entertainment provided by entertainment unit 110 mayinclude an interactive presentation, an audio presentation, a game, or amultimedia story, for example. According to the embodiment of FIG. 1,the location-based entertainment is displayed using presentation module116. Presentation module 116 may comprise any output system suitable forpresentation of the selected entertainment, and may comprise forinstance, a speaker or other audio projection unit, or a video screen.Alternatively, presentation module 116 may be configured to utilize anexisting display feature of entertainment unit 110 for presentation ofthe selected entertainment, such as display 136, in FIG. 1. Because theentertainment provided by entertainment unit 110 may be interactive,entertainment unit includes user interface 134 to allow a device user toenter a response. Such an input means might include a keypad, a mouse, ajoystick or touch screen, for example. In one embodiment, remoteentertainment unit 110 may be used in conjunction with a virtualsteering accessory, providing a user of entertainment unit 110 with anopportunity to simulate traveling to a designated destination.

FIG. 2 shows flowchart 200 describing the steps, according to oneembodiment of the present invention, by which location-basedentertainment can be provided. Certain details and features have beenleft out of flowchart 200 that are apparent to a person of ordinaryskill in the art. For example, a step may comprise one or more substepsor may involve specialized equipment or materials, as known in the art.While steps 210 through 260 indicated in flowchart 200 are sufficient todescribe one embodiment of the present invention, other embodiments ofthe invention may utilize steps different from those shown in flowchart200.

Referring to step 210 of flowchart 200 in FIG. 2, step 210 of flowchart200 comprises identifying a present location of a mobile user. Such alocation may be set manually or identified by reference to a positionfinding module, such as a GPS receiver, either included as an integratedcomponent of a device capable of providing location-based entertainment,or through a wired or wireless communication link with a discretenavigational unit, as shown in FIG. 1.

Step 220 of flowchart 200 comprises identifying a destination of themobile user. This is a preliminary step in a travel route determinationprocess. Both the present location, and the destination constitutelocations suitable as criteria for entertainment provided in subsequentstep 250 or suitable for use in conjunction with the onboardentertainment.

Continuing with step 230 of FIG. 2 and system 100 of FIG. 1, step 230 offlowchart 200 comprises determining a travel route of the mobile user. Atravel route can be determined through use of a routing module, such asrouting module 106, in FIG. 1. As explained above, route determinationmay be accomplished either through an integrated component capable ofproviding location-based entertainment, or through a wired or wirelesscommunication link with a discrete navigational unit, as shown in FIG.1.

Next, at step 240 of flowchart 200, step 240 comprises providingnavigational data according to the travel route. At step 250, anentertainment specific to at least one location of the travel routedetermined in step 230 is generated by entertainment unit 110, utilizingnavigational data provided in previous step 240. Depending on additionalselection criteria under the user's control, entertainment selectionmodule 114 may be configured to select entertainment based on thepresent location of the device user, the destination designated in step220, or any other point on the travel route determined in the previousstep. This allows the mobile user to receive entertainment regarding aplace recently visited, a place through which present travel isoccurring, or an anticipated destination, for example.

At step 260 of flowchart 200, the entertainment is presented to themobile user. As previously mentioned, the entertainment can comprise anaudio presentation, video presentation, or interactive game, forexample, specific to a location on the travel route determined in step230. Correspondingly, presentation of the entertainment can be providedby use of a mobile communication device such as, for instance, asuitably configured mobile telephone, PDA, portable gaming console,digital media player, or portable computer. In that way, mobile user maybe provided with entertainment content based on their present location,or to a point of interest relevant to their travel route.

Turning now to FIG. 3, it shows a diagram for presentation of aninteractive multimedia story specific to a natural landmark in proximityto a travel route. Referring to FIG. 3, the present example describes aroad trip in vehicle 326 equipped with navigational unit 302, whichcorresponds to navigational unit 102, in FIG. 1. The exemplary road tripextends from beginning point A to destination B along travel route 324.Mountain range 328 is a point of interest in proximity to travel route324, and serves as a focus of the location-based entertainment providedin this example. The mobile user in the example of FIG. 3 is a child whois riding in the vehicle as a passenger, and is in possession ofentertainment unit 110 for providing location-based entertainment, whichin this example is incorporated in interactive system 310. Interactivesystem 310 is configured to receive navigational data from navigationalunit 302 through wired connection 322.

The present exemplary road trip commences with the preliminary steps ofactivation of navigational unit 302, typically by starting vehicle 326,and connection of interactive system 310 to navigational unit 302through wired connection 322.

Turning to flowchart 200 in FIG. 2 and diagram 300 in FIG. 3, step 210is performed when navigational unit 302 identifies the present locationof vehicle 326 at the outset of the trip, i.e. point A in FIG. 3. Step220 is performed when the driver of vehicle 326 designates point B as adestination. Based upon the identified present location and thedesignated destination, navigational unit 302 determines a travel routecorresponding to step 230 of flowchart 200, and provides navigationaldata according to step 240. In step 250, interactive system 310generates an entertainment based on a location on the travel route andpresents that entertainment in step 260. Steps 250 and 260 may berepeated, depending on the length of the trip, the length of theentertainment selected, and points of interest identified along thetravel route, for instance. In the present example, as vehicle 326approaches mountain range 328, interactive system 310 selects aninteractive story describing the geology of mountain formation, andpresents that selected entertainment to the child passenger. In otherembodiments, entertainment unit 110 may be non-interactive and simplyprovide a story to the child passenger based on information about pointsof interest encountered while moving from point A to point B, such aspost office, schools, football fields, etc.

Continuing on to FIG. 4 for another exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention, FIG. 4 shows a diagram corresponding to presentation of aninteractive multimedia story based on a destination. FIG. 4 is used inconjunction with describing an errand utilizing vehicle 426 equippedwith navigational unit 402. The exemplary errand is a trip from home tothe post office along travel route 424, which includes left turn 428.

The mobile user in the example of FIG. 4 is a child accompanying aparent on the errand, the child being in possession of a device capableof providing location specific entertainment, which in this example isinteractive system 410, corresponding to entertainment unit 110, inFIG. 1. Interactive system 410 includes a virtual steering accessory,shown in FIG. 4 as virtual steering wheel 418. Interactive system 410 isconfigured to receive navigational data from navigational unit 402through wired connection 422.

Returning again to flowchart 200 in FIG. 2 and continuing with diagram400 in FIG. 4, step 210 is performed when navigational unit 402identifies the vehicle's present location at the outset of the trip,i.e. HOME in FIG. 4. Step 220 is performed when the parent identifiesPOST OFFICE as the destination. Based upon the identified presentlocation and the identified destination, navigational unit 402determines a travel route corresponding to step 230 of flowchart 200,and provides the navigational data to interactive system 410 in step240. In step 250, interactive system 410 generates an entertainmentspecific to a location on the travel route, in this instance thedestination, and presents that entertainment in step 260. In the presentexample, interactive system 410 selects an interactive Post Office storyabout mailing a letter, narrated by an animated figure, as shown in FIG.4. Although in the present embodiment the story is narrated by a humanlike animated figure, in another embodiment the story might be narratedby one or more recognizable cartoon characters, for example, MickeyMouse or Winnie the Pooh.

Virtual steering wheel 418 may be utilized by the child to make the postoffice story more interactive. For example, the story may include theinstruction: “Follow the man with the envelope.” At that prompt theanimated character shown in FIG. 4 may move off to the left side of thescreen as route 424 approaches left turn 428. The story may then ask:“Which way should we go to catch the man with the envelope?” In responseto that prompt, the child might be encouraged to use virtual steeringwheel to navigate a left hand turn corresponding to the parent beingrequired to execute left turn 428, thus creating a shared drivingexperience.

As described in the foregoing, a system and method for providinglocation-based entertainment may utilize navigational data as selectioncriteria in supplying entertainment or in conjunction with a selectedentertainment to a user of entertainment unit 110 or other members of amobile audience. In that way the present invention provides content thatis timely and relevant to a user's present location, destination, orother point of interest on a travel route. As a result, for example, achild may be provided with instructional diversion during a vehicletrip. Alternatively, a commuter may be provided with entertainment inthe form of a game, for example, specific to an identified commutingroute, and continuing throughout the commuting interval. By utilizingnavigational data to guide selection of entertainment content, thepresent invention is capable of providing timely and topicalentertainment to a user, without the user having to actively seek thatcontent out.

From the above description of the invention it is manifest that varioustechniques can be used for implementing the concepts of the presentinvention without departing from its scope. Moreover, while theinvention has been described with specific reference to certainembodiments, a person of ordinary skills in the art would recognize thatchanges can be made in form and detail without departing from the spiritand the scope of the invention. As such, the described embodiments areto be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. Itshould also be understood that the invention is not limited to theparticular embodiments described herein, but is capable of manyrearrangements, modifications, and substitutions without departing fromthe scope of the invention.

1-16. (canceled)
 17. An entertainment system for providinglocation-based entertainment in an identified commuting route, theentertainment system comprising: a navigational interface moduleconfigured to obtain navigational data; an entertainment selectionmodule configured to utilize the navigational data to generate alocation-based entertainment content for a user, the location-basedentertainment content including a game specific to a location on theidentified commuting route determined based on the navigational data;and a presentation module configured to present the location-basedentertainment content to the user.
 18. The entertainment system of claim17, wherein the navigational data is provided by a vehicle navigationsystem.
 19. The entertainment system of claim 17, wherein theentertainment system is one of a mobile telephone, a personal digitalassistant (PDA), a portable gaming console, a digital media player, or aportable computer.
 20. The entertainment system of claim 17 furthercomprising a virtual steering accessory for an interactive use of thelocation-based entertainment content.
 21. The entertainment system ofclaim 17, wherein the location-based entertainment is based on at leastone location including one or more of a present location of the user, apast location of the user, a future location of the user, and a virtuallocation of the user.
 22. The entertainment system of claim 17 furthercomprising a position finding module configured to provide thenavigational data.
 23. The entertainment system of claim 22, wherein theposition finding module comprises a global positioning system (GPS)receiver.
 24. The entertainment system of claim 17 further comprising arouting module configured to determine the identified commuting route.25. A method for use by an entertainment system for providinglocation-based entertainment in an identified commuting route, themethod comprising: obtaining navigational data using the entertainmentsystem having a controller; utilizing, using the entertainment systemhaving the controller, the navigational data to generate alocation-based entertainment content for a user, the location-basedentertainment content including a game specific to a location on theidentified commuting route determined based on the navigational data;and presenting, using the entertainment system having the controller,the location-based entertainment content to the user.
 26. The method ofclaim 25, wherein the navigational data is provided by a vehiclenavigation system.
 27. The method of claim 25, wherein the entertainmentsystem is one of a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA),a portable gaming console, a digital media player, or a portablecomputer.
 28. The method of claim 25 further comprising utilizing avirtual steering accessory for an interactive use of the location-basedentertainment content.
 29. The method of claim 25, wherein thelocation-based entertainment is based on at least one location includingone or more of a present location of the user, a past location of theuser, a future location of the user, and a virtual location of the user.30. The method of claim 25 further comprising utilizing a positionfinding module of the entertainment system configured to provide thenavigational data.
 31. The method of claim 30, wherein the positionfinding module comprises a global positioning system (GPS) receiver. 32.The method of claim 25 further comprising utilizing a routing moduleconfigured of the entertainment system to determine the identifiedcommuting route.